Does anyone sail on E clearing winds, when it comes from the valley, not NE?
I've done Berkeley maybe once a year on those winds, coming down the UCBerk hills, the reach identical to a W-SW day in the summer, but coming from the opposite direction.
Would somewhere in the West bay have cleaner wind?

Been thinking about the east wind question for a few days and cannot remember a true east wind sailing day. NE & SE yes from the peninsula only on a equipe w/ 8.5 racefoil pro daggeboard down in Novembers & Decembers. Fun times actually in just 8 to 10 knots of wind. No other windsurfers, just pelicans and me.

Possibly you don't check the winds in winter as often as you could.
Most winters, I pass on maybe 2-3 days of true E winds, mostly in the 8-10 range you're talking about.
At least once a year for the past 11, I've sailed E winds coming from UCBerkeley with a 5.5 sail, 100 liter board, maybe 9-27mph winds, same reach as normal except from the other side.
We've already had 2 days of E winds over 15, but I'm passing on winter sailing this year.

My experience at Berkeley, Rod and Gun, and Windy Cove is that when the wind is blowing from the wrong direction, ie. not the normal wind direction for windsurfing, it is flukey and can shut down without warning. The only place where I have had consistent winds during winter is Bodega Bay when it is blowing in the right direction, ie NW. Blowing from the east or south east at Bodega I have seen big changes in velocity over very short periods of time, both up and down. It was no fun.
Berkeley on a south wind has produced some real sucker puffs that got me planing out for one run and then schlogging home. Of course that often happens on a west wind at Berkeley as well. I've never tried HMB so I can't speak for it.
Every single time I have sailed at Windy Cove on a north wind I have gone out overpowered on a 3.6 or 4.0 only to see the wind drop after very short periods of good sailing and having me schlog in from about a mile out. I guess the best bet is to get there early.
Bodega has been my best bet in the winter. I've sailed more than one New Year's Day at Bodega. On low tide and NW wind go to Doran Beach and sail the channel. I've never sailed Doran Beach, ocean side on a south wind but I've heard that can work too. I've also heard that in the winter the men in grey coats are usually taking a holiday from the north coast.

Winter N-NE winds start to ramp up around 9:30AM, peak around 11AM, start to taper off until it's pretty much gone by 1PM.
It's early sailing, not late PM sailing like summers.
S winds, you can never tell, unless you're a weatherman. It can come up anytime, die mid day, and do whatever after that...hit or miss.
We should know that by now.
Don't forget Tomales on a S, or NNW winds.
I like Stinson, as the surf is seldom bigger than shoulder high when prefrontal, but can get big on the clearing winds.

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